We Talk Shop

Maybelline has already defined themselves with their pink and green tube, but they define a lash in a whole new way with Define-a-Lash mascara. The unique, flexible brush glides along your lashes, leaving just enough color to lengthen without clumping. It’s not as bold and thick as Great Lash or Dior’s DiorShow, but it’s the first mascara I’ve used that adds just the right amount to your lash.

Get it: It shouldn’t be the only mascara in your arsenal, but it should be one of them. Look for it at in the cosmetics aisle of any grocery or pharmacy chain for around $5.

I tried this on a whim one day when I was ordering from Sephora and needed to boost my subtotal up a bit to qualify for free shipping! Little did I expect to find one of the most convenient products I’ve ever tried. This product is perfect for travel, it easily slips into your purse or makeup case. One liquid-filled cotton swab is enough to take off your eye makeup, but I tend to use two for heavier applications, one for each eye. Each swab is filled with aloe vera and vitamin E so it’s gentle, and if you happen to get a bit overzealous with your makeup application, it’s also ideal for touch ups.

Get it! I took this on my last two trips, and I still have half a box left. The small plastic box contains 24 swabs and can be purchased for $5 from Bare Escentuals or Sephora.

I know…I know…it’s been a while. But, let me make it up to you. I have a couple coming, just be patient.

Let me start by saying this….

Some would say I’m a “gloss whore.” Some may be right. Let me take you on the ride that is my affair with the lip glaring succulence that is gloss.

First there was Lancome’s Juicy Tubes.

Ahhh Lancome. How you did me right.

There it was. As I walked by the cosmetic counter one day I was drawn to it…like a moth to a flame, a plug to a socket, ….gloss to lips. What I loved about it was that it lasted forever, the sheen (even in a shade of blue) was subtle and not overpowering in color and did I mention that it lasted forever? I still have 3 mini-bottles of it that I got as a Christmas gift. That was about two years ago. I still have them and will revert back every now and again. This gloss was like the guy that thought he was in the perfect relationship with you and just stuck around even long after you’d broken up with him. I couldn’t wait until the last tube was emptied so I had to move on.

Then there was Hard Candy Lip Stain in a shade of Punch (courtesy of shopgirl_joyce).

I liked it a lot. It gave a bit more color than I’d wanted. I’m a nude-lipped fiend and not so used to the color. It was perfect for those nights that I wanted a “punch” of color but was okay if it’d faded by the end.

Not so much of a love affair, more like the guy you initially had the hots for, but suddenly realized you’d be better off as friends with.

It was kinda the same with….Estee Lauder Juicy Pops

The sheen was there, the color subtle enough, but the multiple reapplications….ehhh…There’s just no pleasing me, is there?

…Until, once upon a birthday…my friend (also employee of MAC) introduced me to MAC Lip Lustre (in Love Nectar).

Ohhhh the Lip Lustre…it was a hot, torrid affair…until the boyfriend found out about it! *GASP* I know!

No really as soon as the bf was getting the smooches, he was not appreciating the sticky factor. I don’t think any guy…or girl for that matter enjoys the sticky factor of any gloss. B-b-b-but, it’s soooo gooood to me! I couldn’t give it up. Not with the perfect, subtle shade, and with the making my lips look all luscious without looking too gooey. But, I had to find a way to please both sides of the gloss. (Yes, that would be me and then the boy.)

*sigh* But, lo and behold….what is this????

As I came across Bath and Body Work’s Annual Blowout Extravaganza of a sale, I came across the one that would suffice both me and my better half. Oh yes, that would be Tutti Dolci in Creme Brulee. What would have the perfect sheen as my latter?…Tutti Dolci…What would make my lips look so luscious?…Tutti Dolci…What would have the flavor factor that would please my better half as well as myself?….TUTTI DOLCI!!…There you have it. I do have moments when I go back to my MAC Lip Lustre….but I had to buy two Tutti Dolci’s as not to run out because it lasts long enough, but not so long that you want to move on. I don’t know about the other flavor’s but this is my favorite of the series so far (and by series, I mean I think there’s only 4 other flavors). Needless to say, I don’t think the BF likes the gloss anymore…but at least in my mind I am making it more bareable for him to get smooches + gloss (with the occasional slip-back to the MAC).

So I say….

GIT IT!: Any Bath and Body Works store for $10 (I got it for $5 at the sale) or get it online for $5 (so it says + shipping). I hope they’re not on sale because they’re going to discontinue!…Hmmm..maybe I need to get a couple more tubes.
(more…)

… and in more ways than one. Although I had purchased one Fresh product during Bath & Body Works big sale a few months ago, I hadn’t used it yet, and didn’t know anything about the company. Just last week Fresh.com had a blowout sale with huge savings. Having never ordered from the company before and not knowing how I would like their products, I only purchased two eye shadows and a shadow brush. My order total came to about $20 and it arrived within a week. I was suprised how quick my order was processed and shipped considering the frenzied reaction to their sale — quite a few items sold out within the first 15 minutes.

The great service wasn’t all that I received. With my order, I received 18 samples. And not those samples you typically get that are the equivalent of modern-day Cracker Jack toys, but quality samples including perfume vials, mini tubs and mini tubes.

And I couldn’t have been happier with my order itself, so much so that I had wished that sale was still going on. One of the items I ordered was their #12 shadow brush. It put my lame gift-with-purchase Estee Lauder brush to shame. Brushing on the shadow felt like I was brushing a feather across my eyelid, and the simple yet elegant design was easy to grip and comfortable to hold.

Try it: Unfortunately their #12 brush is not currently among their list of brushes, possibly because they sold out during the sale. However, their #10 shadow brush (shown in photo) is available for $26. The #12 originally sold for more than $30. Fresh’s company, service and products (I’ve tried so far) all get a five-star rating from this shopgirl. [However, I had quite a bit of trouble placing my order from their Web site during that sale such as my items not getting added to my shopping cart without repeated attempts. Hopefully next time they’ll be more prepared for the demand.]

I had time to peruse a couple of my favorite beauty websites this weekend and what do I find? Fresh.com is having a sale! Starts August 22nd to August 25 (I hope my fellow shopgirls will remind me since I tend to forget these things sometimes). I’ve never bought anything from them online, but I have used a couple things from Fresh. However I must warn you that their products are uber-expensive, so proceed to the website with caution. Of course knowing me I didn’t pay full price for the Fresh products that I have. I highly recommend their glosses (Gloss absolute in Desire is my favorite color) and some of their Sugar products (sugar shea butter, sugar face polish, and lemon sugar perfume). I will probably review these products soon.
Let me know if you buy anything! Just don’t complain to me about the ridiculous prices!

Shopgirl_Joyce recently called me a CVS junkie, and it’s true, I do have an affinity with the drugstore. I feel a tingle when I see my new weekly ad in my mailbox and can’t wait to see what beauty deals are lurking inside. Imagine my delight when I saw, emblazoned in pink, 1,000 NEW BEAUTY ITEMS. N.Y.C. offered a number of new products including this one, the new Color Wheel Mosaic Powder. I have fair skin so opted for the Transulent Highlighter Glow palette. I’ve tried it alone and over my pressed powder (Clinique); I prefer it over my pressed powder. Alone did not provide enough coverage, and I felt like it added to my oil buildup in the T Zones. It brightens the skin and minimizes flaws as promised, but it doesn’t do much to reduce shine throughout the day. By the early afternoon I was pulling out my Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets.

Give it a try: If you aren’t prone to oily skin, this product might have better results for you. $4.99 CVS and many other drugstores.

“Summertime, and the living is easy…” Yes people, summer is upon us. Here in Florida, that means hot, humid, and humid (that’s no typo, I said that twice for emphasis). And on my face, it means my skin will bounce more light than your grandma’s old metal sun reflector.

Ok, I exaggerate. But this is a serious problem! How many of you have looked in your rearview mirror only to see greasy looking temples? How many of you have powdered your face, headed out to work, only to get there and feel your face heavy and oily? I’ve had my share of other blotting sheets (The Body Shop’s, Boscia’s, Shiseido’s). They all took my money and did not keep their “shine-free” promise. Well, one day I’ve had it with my greasy self, so I purchased a pack of Clean and Clear blotting sheets from Walgreens. Took a sheet, blotted it on my temples, and was gonna keep on blotting until I saw something bizarre. The sheet, I thought, got a hole. Wait, no. That’s no hole. The oil from my temples made the sheet CLEAR! It soaked up so much oil it had not other choice but to turn clear! Amazed by this unnatural phenomenon, I continued blotting until the whole sheet was absolutely transparent (and shiny!).

That was 3 years ago and I never looked back. I adore these blotting sheets so much that I always have at least 2 packs reserved. I sing praises to these sheets and I spread the good word around - to my mother-in-law, to my former metrosexual co-workers, to my current female co-workers.

Clean & Clear blotting sheets comes in a pack of 50 sheets. The sheets are blue, not powdery, and does not rub-off your makeup (unless you rub it to do so). These sheets are a permanent resident in my purse, and I never leave home without it!

Git it: $4.99 at Target, Walgreens - they sometimes have a dollar off coupon at Walgreens.

… but what it provides in curling power, it lacks in volumizing. Yes, that’s right, I want a mascara that can do it all - curl, thicken, separate - is that too much too ask? I’ve only used it once so far - props to N.Y.C. for the stylish tube and great value ($2.99) - but my eyes didn’t pop at all and looked like they were going to retreat inside my head. Not only that but some of my lashes stuck together and my lash comb wasn’t much help separating them. Nevertheless, I’ll still be eagerly looking for the N.Y.C. endcap on my CVS crawl to see what new products they have in store for me.

Git it or forgit it: $2.99 at CVS and other drugstores.

I am a big fan of being able to draw a fine line on my eyes for a day look, but a bit thicker, more dramatic look for night. The problem was, I hadn’t quite pinpointed the right liner with just the right variability of control.

I was originally using a Rimmel Eye Pencil, but it was either too light or too thick of a line. Just not enough OOMPH.

Then I started using Almay liquid i-liner, which was just about right. Except, I had to deal with the hassle of it drying once the application was done. I had to hope and pray that the line was right or I’d have to clean it off and do it again. On those nights that I DID get it right, I awoke to black, gooey eye gunk lodged into the furthest crevices around my eyeball (yes, I’m a sporadic non-face washing offender!). That just wouldn’t do.

Then one day thanks to my wonderful make-up artist friend/employee of MAC, I was introduced to MAC Fluidline. It’s a cream liner that you apply with a small angle brush. I use MAC brush #263 Small Angle Brush:

It allowed me with much ease to control the amount, application, and angle of the line. Yes, I’ve found the saviour of all liners. It lasts all day long and then some. The great thing about it was it came in a variety of colors which was great for me! I loved it so much I got one in Blacktrack, Waveline (a navy blue) and Blitz & Glitz (shimmery brown). The great thing is that I could use MAC Fluidline as a base for shadow as well. The shadow holds onto the Fluidline as if it were a cream shadow. it’s my eyelining dream….*sigh*

And for that I say…THANKS MAC!!! And I don’t mean Donald’s.

GIT IT: $14.50 at a MAC counter near you (at participating department stores) or online at www.maccosmetics.com

*UPDATE: MAC has now come out with a longer-lasting liquid liner! (Yes you have to wait for it to dry). CLICK HERE to check it out!